Tag Archives: sbx rapid transit

Click to see time lapse photos of the construction of the Civic Center Station over the past 6 months.

With the upcoming launch of our sbX rapid transit service on April 28th, we thought it might be fun to look back to see how far we’ve come. Click the photo above for time lapse photos of the construction of the sbX Civic Center Station taken over the past six months. Photos were shot from the pedestrian bridge near E Street and Court Street in Downtown San Bernardino.

We’ve definitely come a long way! The pictures below give a closer look at the finished station and the surrounding area today.

The street has been transformed with a center station platform and dedicated bus lanes.

New railings and landscaping dress up the sidewalks on either side of the station and help prevent pedestrians from jaywalking.

Landscaping and rails along the opposite sidewalk at the Civic Center Station

Yellow truncated dome pads along the sides of the platform help guide riders with vision impairments

These small light poles located between railings at the far ends of the station provide lighting along the platform and enhance the landscaped areas.

sbX rapid transit vehicle on a test run by the Civic Center Station

Light bars incorporated into the roof of the shelter provide light for evening travelers while the transparent glass windscreens ensures good visibility.

Along the platform pavement, glazed ceramic tiles by artist Robert Delgardo tell the story of the past and history of the area. The tiles incorporate photo studies of the downtown area, interviews with local residents and research from historical archives.

Work continues to progress on the Omnitrans E Street Corridor sbX Bus Rapid Transit Project (BRT) and we are one month closer to start of service in April 2014. Major construction was completed in January 2014, so throughout the months of February and March the sbX construction management team is meeting with property managers and business owners to conduct site checks and close out any remaining maintenance items along the corridor. Work to test the electrical components at stations and the traffic signals at interscetions continues, and you may notice some construction workers executing various landscape maintenance activities.

In addition, new elements are being installed to keep motorists and pedestrians safe while traveling throughout the corridor and at station locations. Safety railings are being installed on the sidewalks at center-running lane stations located on E Street and Hospitality Lane. You’ll also notice candlesticks, orange posts with reflectors, being installed to the top of yellow safety barriers located at t-intersections within the center-running lane areas. The candlesticks serve as an added visibility feature to prohibit drivers from crossing into Bus Only lanes, also marked by double yellow lines. As a reminder, motorists entering the Bus Only lanes run the risk of getting hit by a bus – and a hefty fine of $341.

As a reminder, bus testing and driver training has commenced. Please remember to:

Pay attention! Buses will be on the road daily.

Stay out of the dedicated Bus Only lane.

Watch for signs and obey them at all times!

Still have questions about the project? No worries! Although major construction is complete, a public outreach team is available until start of service. Our toll-free helpline is operational 24/7. Give us a call at (855) SBX-NEWS (729-6397).

As testing for the new sbX rapid transit service begins, it’s important for motorists to become familiar with the new street configuration which includes new lane striping, double yellow lines and yellow safety barriers. Below are some of the new traffic signs to also be on the lookout for when traveling along the corridor.

sbX Bus OnlyBus Only signs and roadway markings warn motorists and pedestrians to stay out of the dedicated Bus Only zones. These dedicated bus lanes occur in the 5.4-mile stretch just north of the 10th and E Street intersection in San Bernardino all of the way to the Tippecanoe Avenue and Hospitality Lane intersection.

Bus Lane Violation – $341Bus violation signs are posted to warn motorists of the fine for entering a Bus Only lane. The fine is a hefty one. Violators can expect to pay a minimum of $341.

No U-TurnNo U-turn signs are posted to prohibit motorists from making unsafe turns into intersections where there are center-running dedicated bus lanes. To navigate this change, motorists need to proceed to the next protected intersection to make a U-turn.

No Left, No U-turnNo Left/No U-turn signs are posted to prohibit motorists from making unsafe turns into intersections where there are center-running dedicated bus lanes. To navigate this new change, motorists must proceed to the next protected intersection to make a left turn or a U-turn.

Right Turn OnlyThese signs are positioned at every T-Intersection where a safety barrier is located and indicate that you must turn right (no left) and travel to the next intersection where there is a protected U-Turn.

No JaywalkingPedestrians should always use marked crosswalks to avoid being hit. It is never safe to jaywalk across traffic lanes.

Traffic signal priority lights are up and being tested along the corridor.

Major construction of the sbX bus rapid transit line is now complete. Traffic controls have been lifted at most locations as the roadway is now paved and striped. New signs are installed along the corridor and traffic-signal-priority lights are installed at the intersections. Landscaping elements, sbX station pylon signs and unique community-inspired artwork bring the project to life and introduce aesthetic elements in the cities of San Bernardino and Loma Linda.

With the end of major construction, the focus shifts to the operational testing phase. Over the next several weeks, 60-foot-long articulated sbX buses will be seen on the road daily (with no passengers on board). Omnitrans Operations must test every facet of the line for the start of service in April 2014. A big part of this is driver training. In addition, electrical components – such as traffic signal priority lights, ticket vending machines and station emergency phones – will undergo testing. With these new elements introduced along the corridor, our goal is to help educate the public so that motorists, pedestrians and bus drivers will be safe. Please remember to:

Pay attention. Buses will be on the road daily.

Stay out of the dedicated bus-only lane.

Watch for signs and obey them at all times

Still have questions about the project? Although major construction is complete, our website (www.omnitrans-sbx.com) is still a go-to source for helpful information. In addition, our toll-free helpline is operational 24/7. Give us a call at (855) SBX-NEWS (729-6397).

– Kelly Koehler kkoehler@westboundcommunications.com

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely re-posted and shared with others!

BRT signal with a vertical bar on a green traffic light. The system senses an approaching sbX vehicle, allowing cross-traffic signals to remain red until it has cleared the intersection.

One of the newer additions noticeable to motorists and pedestrians on the nearly completed sbX corridor are signal lights with a white horizontal bar on top and a white vertical bar below.

The specialized signals are found at various intersections between E and 10th streets and Hospitality Lane and Tippecanoe Avenue, allowing the 60-foot-long bus rapid transit (BRT) vehicles to travel the corridor in significantly less time than if they were to operate under normal signalization.

Through this system, known as traffic signal prioritization (TSP), the sbX coach sends out a signal received along the corridor. That information is transferred to the city’s traffic control center. Timing is adjusted to keep traffic and the bus moving, said Joe Meidl , a project manager with Griffith/Comet, the joint venture contractor for the construction phase of the sbX project. “It keeps the bus and the general traffic in its direction moving and prevents idling, causing better traffic flow.”

BRT signal with a horizontal bar on a red traffic light. The sbX coach does not have to wait long to enter the intersection once it pulls away from the station.

Locally, The TSP method used by sbX is comparable to the one used in the City of Santa Monica, Meidl said. TSP, along with dedicated lanes that separate the vehicle from the general traffic and fewer stations than fixed-route service (one per mile, on average) contributes to fewer stops and a faster ride.

– David RutherfordDavid.Rutherford@omnitrans.org

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely re-posted and shared with others!

Omnitrans’ fixed-route buses have returned to their original stops on University Pkwy.

Just in time for the start of the new school year, construction crews for the Griffith/Comet Joint Venture are wrapping up work on the new road and station platform for the sbX bus rapid transit service that will begin serving California State University, San Bernardino in early 2014.

During the past few months of construction of the sbX project on campus, Omnitrans fixed route buses were moved to two separate locations on campus. Temporary stops were located along sidewalks near the campus bookstore and near the recreational center at the end of Coyote Drive, while crews worked on tree and landscape removals grading and paving of a road that leads up to the new station platform near the information kiosk on University Parkway. Now that most of the work has been completed buses have been allowed to return to their original stops on the turnaround.

Crews will continue working on electrical and other construction activities at the platform beyond the September 24 start of the fall quarter. The good news is that construction-related impacts will be minor to campus visitors as traffic control measures will be in place to keep vehicles safely away from workers.

LANE CLOSURE: Parking and lane nearest the curb along the east side of E Street between 10th Street and 6th Street has been eliminated. Traffic control in effect on east and west side of E Street throughout the corridor.

To establish a safe work environment for crews and the public, the construction crew has implemented traffic control measures that allow for at least one lane in each direction to be open during construction. Maintaining access to businesses is a high priority as part of this project. As such, signage is placed throughout the corridor to inform the public that they are open for business.

About sbX
The sbX BRT Project is the first-of-its kind express service to be constructed in the Inland Empire. It is the beginning of an intermodal public transit system in the San Bernardino Valley that will help reduce vehicle congestion while providing the public an environmentally friendly alternative that is sophisticated, cost effective, and time efficient.

The 15.7-mile corridor spans between northern San Bernardino and Loma Linda. It will include 16 art-inspired stations at key university, government, business, entertainment and medical centers as well as four park-and-ride facilities.